That’s a good measure, but I am afraid that local governments are going to circumvent this appeal to good financial management by raising user fees for other services. Municipalities need to understand that money does not grow on trees and that they cannot reach into the residents’ pockets for whatever fancy project they can come up with.

Measures pushed by Sweeney, and Assembly members John Burzichelli and Celeste Riley, all D-3, would address this issue.

One bill (S-1914) would prevent municipalities from using some user fees to avoid the property tax cap. Another one (S-2) would reduce state aid to local governments if the towns do not agree to certain shared services, thus increasing the number of such joint services.

New Jersey taxpayers deserve better management of their hard-earned money, which is why I hope these two bills will pass in the Assembly quickly.